Plant for straightening and severing strip metal



Feb. 25, 1969 c. MUNCHBACH 3,429,163

PLANT FOR STRAIGHTENING AND SEVERING STRIP METAL Filed Dec. 13, 1966 I N VENTOR. CURT MU/VCHBACH SheetofB' Feb. 25, 1969 c. MUNCHBAQH 3,42,13

PLANT FOR STRAIGHTENING AND SEVERING STRIP METAL Filed Dec. 13, 1966 FIG. 2 gm Sheet 2 012 N VEN TOR.

United States Patent Office 3,429,163 Patented Feb. 25, 1969 U.S. Cl. 72-131 Int. Cl. B21f 11/00; B21d 1/02; B21b 15/00 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A plant for straightening strip metal and for severing the strip while the same is at a standstill. The plant includes straightening rolls which are driven for intermittently advancing the strip being operated upon in adjustable steps corresponding to the length of the sections to be severed from the strip. The drive for the rolls includes an endless belt which is intermittently moved by a piston having an adjustable stroke. The endless belt is intermittently advanced by means of stationary and displaceable gripping jaws by a piston and are adapted to drive the straightening rolls by means of an intermediate transmission device.

This invention relates to a plant for straightening strip metal and for severing the strip while the same is at a standstill.

Straightening and severing machines are known in which the stationary shearing unit is preceded by a nondriven straightening unit or a continuously driven straightening unit. In the latter case, a loop is formed in the strip between the straightening and shearing units. Stationary and displaceable gripping jaws are also provided between the units and impart an intermittent advance to the strip in steps which are in accordance with the lengths of the sections to be severed from the strip. The engagement of the gripping jaws with the strip results in impression marks on the strip. These marks are not tolerable in view of the high finish required for sheets and plates.

This disadvantage is avoided in the straightening and shearing plant according to the invention in that the straightening rolls which precede the stationary shearing machine are driven for intermittently advancing the strip in adjustable steps corresponding to the length of the sections to be severed from the strip. Only one set of rolls of the straightening unit may serve for the adjustable intermittent advance of the strip, or all straightening rolls may be connected to the drive.

Specifically, the intermittent drive may be imparted to the straightening rolls by an endles belt, which is intermittently moved by a piston having an adjustable stroke. The endless belt may be intermittently advanced by means of stationary and displaceable gripping jaws by a piston and may drive the straightening rolls through an intermediate transmission. Alternatively, the endless belt may be reciprocated by a piston and a roller ratchet mechanism may be provided to transmit only the movement in the strip-advancing sense to the straightening rolls.

According to a further feature of the invention, the intermittent drive may be imparted to the straightening rolls by a rack and pinion drive, which is intermittently rotated in one direction by a piston having an adjustable stroke. The rack-and-pinion mechanism may be operatively connected to the straightening rolls by a roller ratchet mechanism which transmits only the movement in the strip-advancing sense or two rac -and-pinion mechanisms may be provided, which are driven by two pistons and connected to the straightening rolls by rectifying roller ratchet mechanisms, which are connected in series or parallel and transmit movement to the straightening rolls only during the strokes of the respective pistons in the strip-advancing sense. The last two embodiments which have been described distinguish by particularly high simplicity and usefulness. In all cases there are no means to grip the strip so that its surface will not be marred. In the last embodiment, the time required for the return stroke of one piston is utilized for the stripadvancing stroke of the other piston and consequently for the advance of the strip when the out has been effected.

Embodiments of the straightening and severing plant acording to the invention are diagrammatically shown on the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing in elevation a straightening and severing plant according to the invention, comprising means for driving the straightening rolls with the aid of an endless belt.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing also in elevation a straightening and severing plant according to the invention with means for driving the straightening rolls with the aid of a roller ratchet mechanism.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are diagrammatic views showing again in elevation straightening and shearing plants according to the invention with means for driving the straightening rolls with the aid of roller ratchet mechanisms.

In the first embodiment, shown in FIG. 1, a strip 1 is advanced from a coil 2 through a straightening unit 3 to a stationary shearing machine 4. The machine 4 is conventional and is operated in the well known manner. To impart an intermittent advance to the strip 1, the straightening rolls 3 are intermittently driven from an endles belt 5 by an intermediate transmission device 6. The endless belt 5 is advanced in steps of adjustable length by a piston 7 with the aid of stationary and displaceable pairs of operative gripping jaws 8 and 9, which cooperate in known manner. The length of the steps is adjusted by an adjustable stop 10 which is manually shiftable along its support. This adjustment enables a selection of the length of the sections to be severed from the strip. The endless belt 5 may be perforated to act on a drive sprocket 6. Alternatively, the belt may be reciprocated by the piston and the sprocket may be replaced by a roller ratchet mechanism for transmitting the fonward stroke to the straightening rolls. This is not shown in FIG. 1.

In the second embodiment, shown in FIG. 2, a strip 11 is advanced from a coil 12 through straightening rolls 13 to a stationary shearing machine 14. An intermittent advance in steps of predetermined length is imparted to the strip 11 by the straightening rolls 13, which are driven by a piston 17 by means of a rack and pinion mechanism 15. A roller ratchet mechanism 18, 19 is operatively connected to the rolls and is arranged to transmit only the forward stroke. The length of the steps is adjusted by an adjustable stop 20 so that the length of the sections to be severed from the strip can be adjusted. Just as in the first embodiment, there is an idle period for the duration of the return stroke of the piston although an idle peroid of such length is not required for severing the strip.

According to the further development of the invention, illustrated in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a strip 21 is withdrawn from a coil 22 and advanced to a stationary shearing machine 24 by straightening rolls 23 and two rack and pinion mechanisms 25, 26 are advanced in steps by pistons 27, 28 and drive series-connected stepping mechanisms 29, 30, from which the drive is transmitted by an intermediate transmission device 31 to the straightening rolls. The length of the stroke, determining the length of the sections severed from the strip, is adjusted by adjustable stops 32, 33.

In this arrangement, one piston may eifect with the aid of one rack and stepping mechanism an advancing step of the strip during the forward stroke of such piston, whereas the other piston and its rack and stepping mechanism perform a return stroke. This plant 'Will operate more efiiciently as the strip is arrested only for the short time required for severing. When the roller ratchet mechanisms 29, 30 are connected in series, the mounting of the rack and pinion mechanisms may also be changed, as is indicated in dash and dot lines in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 shows a similar arrangement of parts 21 to 24 whereas roller ratchet mechanisms 29a, 30a acting on the intermediate drive 31 are arranged in parallel. Parts 25a to 28a and 32a and 33a are arranged to meet this situation.

What I claim is:

1. A plant for straightening and severing strip metal, comprising a stationary shearing machine, a strightener comprising straightening rolls, and drive means for imparting to said straightening rolls and intermittent drive so as to advance a strip in engagement with said straightening rolls in steps of predetermined length, said drive means comprising an endless belt and a piston operatively connected to the belt for intermittently advancing said belt.

2. A plant as set forth in claim 1, in which said drive means further comprises stationary and displaceable gripping jaws for engaging and intermittently advancing said belt under the action of said piston, and an intermediate transmission device operatively connecting said belt to said straightening rolls.

3. A plant as set forth in claim 1, in which said piston is connected to a roller ratchet mechanism for transmitting only the movement of said belt in a strip-advancing sense to said straightening rolls.

4. A plant as set forth in claim 1, in which said drive means comprise a second piston, said pistons being reciprocable substantially in phase opposition, and two transmission devices, each of which is operatively connected between one of said pistons and said straightening rolls and adapted to drive said rolls only during the stroke of the respective piston in a strip-advancing sense, each of said transmission devices comprising a rack and pinion mechanism coupled to the associated piston and a ratchet roller mechanism coupled to said straightening rolls.

5. A plant as set forth in claim 4, in which said roller ratchet mechanisms are connected in series with each other.

6. A plant as set forth in claim 4, in which said roller ratchet mechanisms are connected in parallel to each other.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 458,780 9/1891 Stiles 72-131 587,520 8/1897 Dederick 72-160 X 602,931 4/1898 Batey 72160 X 2,165,917 7/1939 Black 72-13l MILTON S. MEHR, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 72l60 

